Angie Lese always wanted to be a drummer since she could remember. Growing up in Fort Wayne Indiana, she took to music early and studied flute throughout high school. It wasn’t until her college years that Angie decided to follow her drumming passion, bought a kit and taught herself how to play. After graduating and starting a career in meteorology, Angie moved to Louisville Kentucky and heavily pursued music. She played for a Sony recording artist, several cover bands, and was a session drummer...
May 03, 2017•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jermal Watson is a native of New Orleans and like so many musicians there, got his musical start playing in church. Growing up in New Orleans, he explains, young musicians learn songs and styles by ear and by the time you’re grown, all of the city’s musical languages – the swing feel of Preservation Hall, the street beats of the brass bands, the funk of The Meters and The Neville Brothers – are languages you just know. As a young drummer, Jermal was brought along on the scene by two of its elder...
Apr 26, 2017•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast Around The Kit with Joe Gansas For close to a year and a half, Joe Gansas has been hosting an online radio show focused on drummers and all things drums. This show is called Around The Kit. Joe digs deep into the life, career and background of each guest whether it’s a well known drummer like Kenny Aronoff or a lesser known drummer with important and relatable storys to tell. Joe has surrounded himself with a strong team that helps Joe create a thoughtful and consistent show week by week. A few ...
Apr 19, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast Carter McLean has been a New Yorker for most of his adult life. From his home base in Brooklyn, he commands a multi-pronged career as the drummer for The Lion King on Broadway, playing regularly with 8-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, and running his own educational website, Four Hands Drumming. In this podcast, Carter talks about: His first experiences in NYC – working at Manny’s Music, driving 12 hours for a $100 gig, going to Jeff “Tain” Watts’ jam session. His typical day, which almost alway...
Apr 12, 2017•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russ Miller is internationally known as one of the top drummers of today. As a Multi-Platinum recording artist, he has played on multiple Grammy award winning recordings with combined sales of over 26 million copies. His musical versatility has led him to work with an incredible list of over 50 international artists from legends like Ray Charles, The Fifth Dimension, Natalie Cole, Tina Turner & Bobby Caldwell through modern stars, Nelly Furtado, The Psychedelic Furs, Hilary Duff, Steve Perry, An...
Apr 02, 2017•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Yonrico Scott has been a fixture on the Atlanta scene and in Southern music in general for decades. He was born and raised in Detroit, where he began touring and recording as a teenager. His interest in percussion brought him to The University of Kentucky where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in classical music. After college, he moved to Atlanta and quickly felt like he was home. In the late 90’s he joined the band led by guitar prodigy Derek Trucks with whom he recorded several albums and toured...
Mar 29, 2017•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rob Mitchell has built an impressive resume list of gigs throughout his decades in Nashville, Tennessee. Currently, Rob continues to hold down the drummers chair with the band, Sixpence None the Richer. Due to their light touring schedule, Rob finds time to work with singers like at James Otto, Chuck Wicks, Wes Cunningham and Chris Carmack from the TV show “Nashville”. Rob stays busy in Nashville’s vibrant studio scene recording everything from demos to independent projects. Originally from Bato...
Mar 22, 2017•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Wayne Salzmann has been at the top of the Austin scene for nearly a decade. Even before graduating from the University of Texas at Austin with a Master’s degree in jazz performance, he was working his way into the many musical circles Austin has to offer. He has since compiled a long list of performance credits including Steve Miller, Kris Kristofferson, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern, Joe Bonamassa, Bobby Mcferrin, Jeff Coffin, and Oz Noy. He also holds down regular gigs with his own trio and with Au...
Mar 16, 2017•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode Working Drummer hosts Zack Albetta and Matthew Crouse have a unique opportunity to join forces with Nick Ruffini from Drummer’s Resource to have a “host-full” conversation. We take a break from our normal interviews and spend some time to talk about ourselves and some major transitions all three of us are going through. In this podcast, Nick, Zack and Matt talk about: Adapting to major life changes and transitions Changing the Narrative of what its like to be a working musician F...
Mar 08, 2017•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tony Austin was born and raised in Los Angeles. He is one of two drummers (the other being Ronald Bruner Jr.) who are part of The West Coast Get Down, a collective of LA musicians making their mark on the modern jazz scene. The collective’s flagship is saxophonist Kamasi Washington’s recent release, “The Epic,” a three disc set of compositions involving dozens of musicians and ranging from free jazz to soul to electronica, on which Tony played multiple roles as drummer, engineer and producer. As...
Mar 01, 2017•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode we have the opportunity to share the unique perspective of a group of talented black musicians who make their living in Nashville, Tennessee. They share stories of resilience and realism in an unpredictable work environment. Our guests include Keio Stroud, Derek Phillips, Jeremy Roberson, Marcus Finnie and Hubert Payne. Their respective artist gigs include Big and Rich, Chase Rice, Hank Williams Jr., Kirk Whalum, Little Big Town as well as other live and studio work that keeps th...
Feb 22, 2017•2 hr 38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Andy Sanesi is a New York native who has spent the last decade in L.A. His time in New York was highlighted by playing with saxophonist John Zorn but the quality of life in L.A. and the opportunity to do better than just scrape by drew him west. He got busy soon after moving, thanks to a few friends in L.A.’s latin, jazz, fusion and rock scenes, and eventually landed the gig with Missing Persons, a drum chair originally occupied by Terry Bozzio. In this podcast, Andy talks about: Growing up with...
Feb 16, 2017•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast When not out touring with country duo Trick Pony, Wil Easterwood spends his time as a freelance drummer and vocalist for live performances and studio sessions in Nashville, Tennessee. He also has several years of experience as an audio engineer live/studio. Originally from Cedartown, GA, Wil moved to Nashville in 2008 and quickly began working steadily as a drummer on lower Broadway. The exposure and experience on lower Broadway lead to many performance opportunities for Wil including his work w...
Feb 08, 2017•2 hr 35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Gary Hobbs resides just outside Portland, OR, literally steps from the house he grew up in. His father and grandfather were both semi-pro drummers, but the drum bug didn’t bite Gary until his senior year in high school. He attended a Stan Kenton Jazz Camp where he studied with legendary jazz drummer and educator John Von Ohlen, who convinced him to pursue drumming professionally. After a stint in the army, Gary was invited to join the Kenton Band and toured with them almost non-stop for two and ...
Feb 01, 2017•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast We are excited to share a special edition of our 100th episode by bringing you a fun round table discussion among a group of Nashville drummers, AKA “The Cocksmiths”. This round table should have some familiar names as many have been guests on this podcast. It includes: Kevin Murphy, Ben Sesar, Billy Freeman, Tucker Wilson, Kyle Wilkerson, Keio Stroud, Wil Easterwood, Rob Mitchell and Jeff Brown. Missing from the discussion were Russ Whitman & Zack Stewart. Covering a wide range of ages and musi...
Jan 25, 2017•2 hr 37 min•Transcript available on Metacast London-based drummer and bandleader Pete Cater has built on the traditions of Buddy Rich, Joe Morello, and many others to carve a niche for himself as the U.K.’s keeper of the big band flame. The son of a semi-pro drummer in Birmingham, Pete was gigging with his dad’s colleagues by the time he was in his early teens. Throughout his 20s, he had plenty of work locally in Birmingham and on resorts and cruise ships, but after awhile he felt the need to see what he could do in London. He moved there ...
Jan 17, 2017•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hubert Payne was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. Although, he was heavily influenced by his father who was a professional drummer, he was encouraged to focus on sports and higher education. During high school Hubert excelled at football and won two State Championships. His athletic skill landed him with a scholarship to play college football. While at Maryville College in Tennessee, he was voted captain by his teammates, and received All Conference honors. Throughout his youth and into col...
Jan 11, 2017•1 hr 19 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Native of Garland Texas, Billy Freeman grew up around local Opry houses and by the age of 12 took over the job as house drummer for the Garland Opry and performed every Saturday night till the age of 18. In addition to the Opry gig, Billy stayed involved in every music activity he could throughout high school. Beyond high school, his passion for drumming continued. (From the on-line publication – Nashville Three-Sixty) – By age 20, he was a proven player attracting attention. He did session wo...
Jan 04, 2017•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Herman Matthews has been an L.A. fixture for almost three decades and his resume includes names such as Tom Jones, Kirk Whalum, Tower of Power, and Hugh Laurie. Between the big gigs, his “have drums, will travel” attitude has always kept him working with other acts, either on smaller tours or playing locally in L.A. He is currently the touring drummer for Timothy B. Schmidt of The Eagles. Herman grew up in Houston, TX, and began playing drums in his uncle’s blues organ trio at age 11. He moved t...
Dec 28, 2016•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast While Garrett Goodwin began his career playing in the backdrop of worship movements across the country (Zoegirl, Jeff Deyo of Sonicflood, Lindell Cooley, two-time Dove Award winner By The Tree), he has since transitioned fluidly through the musical world. Most recently, Garrett has spent the last decade as the drummer for Carrie Underwood. He’s also performed live with Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith; on Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon, The Grammy Awards, The ...
Dec 21, 2016•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Larry Aberman was handpicked to be the drummer for Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, a show specifically conceived to be featured in a 1,200 seat theatre at New York New York in Las Vegas beginning in 2003. Before that he spent time in LA and New York maintaining a busy touring and recording schedule, primarily with pianist Joe Sample. In 13 years with Zumanity, Larry has been involved in the show’s creative process, working with musical directors, composers and fellow musicians to help create and su...
Dec 14, 2016•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Steve Smith‘s drumming, while always decidedly modern, can best be described as a style that embodies the history of U.S. music. His command of jazz, from New Orleans music, swing, bebop, avant-garde to fusion, is applied with his powerful rock drumming sensibilities and allows him to push the boundaries of all styles to new heights. Originally from Massachusetts, Smith began studying the drums at age nine, in 1963. After high school, Smith studied music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston...
Dec 07, 2016•1 hr 28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jamison Ross is doing what no drummer has ever done – drumming, singing, composing (music and lyrics), and bandleading, all from the front and center of the stage. He is the 2012 winner of the Thelonious Monk Jazz Competition. He won only as a drummer but at his showcase concert, he shocked the jazz world by singing as well. This set him on his current path bringing his unique concept to jazz which combines the influences of his church roots, his jazz drumming heroes, and the great voices of Sou...
Dec 01, 2016•2 hr 37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Shortly after high school, Pete Parada moved to the west coast to study at the Musicians Institute (MI) where he took classes with greats like Joe Porcaro, Ralph Humphrey, Chuck Flores and Efrain Toro. One teacher he clicked the most with happened to be Ray Luzier (drummer for Korn, David Lee Roth, Army of Anyone). They ended up being roommates for a few years and good friends. Pete’s first big break came in 1998 when he was asked to join the punk rock group Face To Face. Over the next six years...
Nov 23, 2016•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Vibraphonist Nick Mancini has lived in LA for a decade, and a decade in New York before that. Self-diagnosed with “musical A.D.D.,” he has constantly been involved in a huge number and a huge variety of groups. He never had any interest in being a hired gun for pop or commercial music, and has been at the forefront of creative projects on the LA jazz scene both as a leader and a sideman. Nick is a graduate of the Manhattan School of Music and was voted “Best Jazz Percussionist” by DRUM! Magazine...
Nov 16, 2016•1 hr 29 min•Transcript available on Metacast Michael Robinson is the Vice President of Marketing for KHS America. He leads the Branding, Marketing Communications, Product Management, Marketing Communications, and Creative teams at KHS America. Michael makes significant contributions to the success of KHS America in the areas of leadership and team development, and in the establishment of customer-centric marketing principles that continue to differentiate the KHS family of brands within the market. These brands include: Jupiter Wind Instru...
Nov 11, 2016•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kent Aberle has been touring and recording with Kristian Bush for two years. He attended Eastern Illinois University as a Special Education major and began playing in cover bands on the weekends. He has made his home in Atlanta since 2001. After working his way through several cover bands and retail gigs, he got the opportunity to audition for Kristian Bush and won the gig. He also gained a unique perspective on the drum business and the Atlanta drumming community during his time as part owner o...
Nov 02, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Russ Whitman began playing drums at the early age of 6 years old. From then on he always knew what he wanted to do with his life. Following in his father’s footsteps, he started off playing by ear in his grandfathers church. Russ continued his musical education thru his middle and high school years consistently placing first chair in almost every all-state ensemble from concert to jazz. After high school he continued his education on the collegiate level and in the US Navy. Since then Russ was a...
Oct 26, 2016•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jan Faircloth grew up in western Kansas and moved to Kansas City in his early 20s. There, he found ample opportunities to pursue his love of Blues and Country music and has since been the heartbeat of some of the most successful blues acts to come out of KC, including Trampled Underfoot, Levee Town, and the Danielle Nicole Band. He is a fixture on the local scene and tours nationally and internationally on the circuit of the world’s best blues clubs, festivals and cruises. In this podcast, Jan t...
Oct 19, 2016•1 hr 20 min•Transcript available on Metacast Kevin Rapillo was born in Trumbull, CT, just north of New York City. A combination of growing up just hours north of New York City and having a great uncle, Lou Vitale, that was a professional drummer were the things that helped nurture Kevin’s interest in music. After high school, he found himself at the Berklee College of music in Boston. After moderate success in the Boston area with bands in and out of label deals, Kevin moved to Nashville in late 1997 looking for a fresh start. Shortly afte...
Oct 12, 2016•1 hr 15 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
